Aeroplane



A. A. WELLS.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1920.

1,414,241. 4 Patented 14111.25; 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET INVENTOR WITNESSES A TTORNEYS A. A. WEllLS- AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1920.

WITNESSES 2 6 MM m m w 4 Mm A% M d V. m a P 4 ATTORNEYS A, A. WELLS.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

WITNESSES A TTORNEYS citizen of the United States, anda resident UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce.

ALBERT A. WELLS, or DETROIT, mrcnmm.

.AEROPLAN E. 1

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 25-, 1922.

Application filed August 9, 1920. Serial No. 402,104.

To all whom, it ma'y concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. WELLS, a

' v and with the greatest degree of, safety.

A further object of the invention comprises the provision of means whereby in vertical flight head resistance is reduced as much as possible.

A further object resides in the provision of 'means whereby the speed and climbing ability of the aeroplane, while in flight, may be changed.

. A still further object resides in the provision of means whereby in changing from flightin a vertical direction to flight in a horizontal direction, or vice versa, the stability of the aeroplane may be at all times maintained.

Another object resides in the provision of the particular arrangement and construction of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed and are shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention in general comprises an aeroplane having a fuselage of ordinary standard construction containing a source of motive power therein; This aeroplane is provided with a front and a rear propeller both of which are movable under the control ofthe operator in a vertical plane, and the rear propeller in addition being movable in a horizontal plane.

. Provision is also made whereby the elevators of the aeroplane are simultaneousl operated whenever the rear propeller 1smoved in a vertical plane,-whereby they may act as rudders to guide the aeroplane in-Jts vertical flight.

The invention further comprises the ready and simple adjustment of the propellers whereby their adjustment to move the aeroplane either horizontally or vertically may be uniform so that the stability of the aero-.

plane is maintained at all times. Furthermore, the variation in the direction of thrust of the propellers with respect to the slope of the planes gives simple regulation, during flight, of the speed and climbing ability.

he invention further comprises the provision of a mechanical connection between a single motor and both propellers whereby power is efliciently transmittedthereto in whatever position .they may be in.

The invention further comprises the particular arrangement 'and construction of parts as are hereln descrlbed and claimed and are shown in the accompanying draw-v ings.

ings, of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the aeroplane showing indotted lines aposition of through the aeroplane; and

Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal horiontal section taken throughthe aeroplane.

As shown in the drawings, the invention The invention is illustrated ,in the draw- I Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section comprises an aeroplane having a fiiselage 1 within which a suitable source of motive power such as an engine 2. may be mounted. This engine is connected to a. shaft 3 which is suitably 'journaled in standards of the fuselage, as shown at 4, 5 and 6. The aero-' plane is provided with the usual supporting Ailerons 9 and 10 of the usual type are provided at opposite ends of the rear portions wing portions 7 and 8' forming a wing panel.

of wing portion 7. The aero lane is provided at the front'portion- 011 1316 fuselage 1' with a propeller 11 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 12 journaled in suitable ball hearings in a frame 13. This frame is pivoted on a stub shaft 14 journaled at its. ends in standards 15'and 16 connected to-the fuselage 1 in front of the engine2. The

inner end'ofthe propeller shaft 12is provided with a bevel gear 17 meshing 'with a similar bevel gear 18 onthe stub shaft 14.:

The gear 18 llltlllll meshes with a 'bevel gear 19 rigidly connected to the-front end of shaft 3 of the engine. This mechanical connection between the engine shaft and the propeller permits the propeller and its supporting frame 13 to be moved in a vertical plane from the horizontal position shown iii Figures 1 and 3, to a vertical position, shown in Figure 1, through a suitable 'slot or channel 20 formed in the nose of the fuselage 1.

At the rear of the aeroplane, and in line with shaft 3, is a rear propeller 21 mounted on a shaft 22 which is suitably journaled in a rocking frame 23. This frame is pivotally connected to a rear portion 24 which in turn is pivotally connected to the rear of the body portion of the fuselage 1. The frame 23. is pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane, whereas the propeller-supporting portion 24 is pivoted to swing in a vertical plane. The portion 24 is pivoted on the rear of the fuselage 1 on a stubshaft 25, shown more particularly in Figure 4. This stub shaft 25 is provided with a bevel gear 26 meshing on one side with a bevel gear 27 on, a shaft 28 which connects by means of a universal joint 29 with the stub shaft 22 uponwhich the propeller 21 is mounted. On the other side of bevel gear 26 a bevel gear 30 meshes and is attached to therear end of shaft 3.

At the rear of the fuselage 1 the aeroplane is provided with the usual elevators 31 and 32. In the operators position there are provided a plurality of controls whereby the' movements of the aeroplane in different directions are directed by reason of the movement of the propellers, the ailerons and the elevators in different directions. The frame 13 on which the front propeller 11 is mounted is moved in one direction or the other by means of cables 33 and 34 attached on opposite sides thereof and extending rearwardly over the pulleys 35 and 36 to a controlling drum 37. This drum is mounted on a shaft which is supported in a frame 38 connected to the body portion of the fuselage. This shaft at one end is provided with a controller wheel 39 having thereon a clutch portion 40 which is adapted to engage with a corresponding clutch portion 41 rigidly fastened to the drum 37. By moving the controller wheel 39 in one direction or the other the front propeller 11 while in motion may be moved from the horizontal position shown in Figure 3 upwardly in a vertical plane.- By means of cables 42 and 43, which are connected at one end to a drum 44 and at the other end to arms 45 and 46 connected to the vertically pivoted portion 24, the rear propeller 21 may move in a vertical plane in either direction from the position shown in Figure 3. The drum 44 is mounted in a rigid frame '47 and is adapted to be operated by a controller wheel 48, which is provided with a locking clutch mechanism similar to the one above described. The controlling cables 49 and 50 for each elevator are fastened to the cables 42 and 43 at a suitable point so that whenever the rear propeller 21 is moved in a vertical plane, the elevators 31 and 32 are moved simultaneously in the same direction.

By reason of its mounting in the frame portion 23, which is horizontally pivoted in the frame portion 24, the rear propeller 21 may also be moved around its pivot in a horizontal plane. This movement is effected by reason of the connection of cables 51 and 52 between rigid arms 53 and 54 on frame portion 23 at one end and to a foot- -operated lever 55 situated at the operative osition. These cables are guided by pass- 1ng through guide posts 51 and 52 whereby the propeller can always easily be rotated transversely irrespective of its vertical position. By moving this foot lever 55, the propeller 21 may be moved in a horizontaldirection to the right or to the left, as shown in Figure 4.

I have provided a simple unitary control means whereby ailerons may be moved in the usual manner either in the same direction simultaneously or in opposite directions. This mechanism comprises a hand lever 56 which, at its lower end, is connected to a pivoted yoke frame 57. This yoke frame in turn is adapted to be rigidly connected to a shaft 58 which, at its opposite the floor 59 of the operators position. At

one end the shaft '58 is provided with adownwardly projecting end portion 60 adapted to carry a pulley 61 and a pulley 62. At the other end the shaft 58 is provided with an upwardly projecting end portion 63 carrying pulleys 64 and 65. The hand lever 56 may be'moved in a vertical plane forward and backward and is provided with a latch member 66 adapted to engage with a ratchet 67 to hold the handle 56 in a particular position. The ratchet 67 and the yoke frame 57 are pivoted so that the hand lever 56 may likewise be moved in a vertical plane transverse of the fuselage 1. In this movement the latch member 66 18 adapted to engage ratchets 68, shown in Figure 4. Controlling cables, such as 69 and 70, extend from the hand lever 56 over the pulleys 61, 62, 64 and 65 and are adapted to be connected to opposite ends of a rod 71 on each aileron. In a manner which is well known in the control of ailerons on aeroplanes, when the handle is moved dlrectly forward or backward both ailerons are moved in the same direction and to the same degree, whereas if the handle 56 is moved to one side or the other one aileron is taken, by reason of the fact that by adcal flight is thereby improved. By

justing both front and rear propellers to assist the planes in the vertical direction,-

a uniform vertical impulse is given the plane at both ends to a degree determined by the position of the propeller. It will. also be noted that by changing the direction of the axial thrust of the propellers the angle between the thrust and the slope of the planes is changed, whereby the speed and climbing ability of the aeroplane is varied. By reason of the simultaneous movement of the elevators with the rear propeller they act as rudders assisting in the direction of the aeroplane for vertical flights. It will be noted that the surface of the ailerons bears a considerable proportion to the surface of the supporting wing 7, so that these ailerons are moved to the position shownin dotted line in Figure 1 and considerable reduction in head swing resistance is made/ and vertiproviding for the separate control of the front and rear propellers, the fuselage can be kept in a horizontal line when flight is chan ing from the vertical to the horizontal direction. By moving the propeller 21, which is the rear propeller, further in the direction than that shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, a motion to the rear can be effected when having a single wing panel connected thereto, an internal combustion motor mounted,

in the fuselage slightly forward of the wing panel, a front propeller connected to the motor and normally disposed in line with the shaft of the motor, a rear propeller connected to the motor and normally disposed in line with the shaft thereof, means for varying the inclination of the front propeller from normal position in a vertical plane upwardly, means for moving the axis of the rear propeller in two planes at right angles to each other, and a plurality of elevators attached to the rear of the fuselage, said last-mentioned means adapted to move said elevators with said rear propeller when the rear propeller is moved in one of the said planes.

v 2. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a wing panel connected thereto, an internal combustion motor disposed in the fuselage slightly forward of the wing panel, said fuselage having an operators position rearwardly of the internal combustion motor, a driving propeller at the front of the fuselage connected to said. motor, a propeller at i the rear of the fuselage connected to said motor, the axes of both of said propellers normally being disposed in line with the plane of said motor, manual means in the operators position for moving the axis of the front propeller upwardly from the normal position in a 'vertical plane, manual means in said position to move the rear propeller in a vertical plane, a plurality of elevators attached to the fuselage, said lastmentioned manual means adapted to move ment in a vertical plane of the rear propeller, and pedal operated means for moving the axis of the rear propeller in. a horizontal plane.

ALBERT A. WELLS.

said elevators simultaneously with the movea 

